Tiger noticed the sly smile on Lu Fei's lips and couldn't shake the feeling that his boss was up to something. Curiosity gnawed at him, but he held back, fearing that prying might mess things up.
He suppressed his emotions and refrained from asking further questions, choosing to wait for his boss's instructions.
Lu Fei remained calm as he observed the dormitory.
With the ghost-suppressing sigil on his back, he wasn't worried about being ambushed by the long-haired ghost.
Amid the dense black mist filling the dormitory, the two men were fighting desperately, using every ounce of their strength and spiritual power to fend off the black hair entangling them.
The long-haired ghost clung to their backs, layers upon layers of black hair wrapping around them tightly.
Both sides were locked in an intense struggle.
*Hong!*
Finally, the black hair snapped, and the two men's faces emerged from the suffocating grip.
"Tiger, move!"
The moment had come. Lu Fei's eyes lit up, and he signaled Tiger to charge at the two long-haired ghosts.
The vengeful spirits had just taken a hit from spiritual power, leaving them in a weakened state—a perfect opportunity to strike.
Lu Fei swung his thunderstruck jujube wood stick, obliterating one long-haired ghost instantly, leaving not even a strand behind.
Meanwhile, Tiger used his ghost-head knife to block the other ghost and delivered a series of heavy blows, eventually taking it down. He couldn't help but feel overjoyed.
No wonder the boss waited for this moment to act—it was the perfect timing.
As the black mist dispersed, the decrepit and gloomy dormitory became noticeably clearer.
*Cough, cough!*
Tianyuan coughed painfully, spitting out a wad of broken black hair. His pale, sweat-covered face glared at Lu Fei with indignation.
"You took advantage of us!"
"Tianyuan Daozhang, that's not fair. This was a timely act of salvation," Lu Fei responded with a mischievous smile.
"Ghost-blind, aren't you? Can't you see my boss just saved your lives?" Tiger retorted, resting the ghost-head knife on his shoulder with a snort.
"Shameless!" Tianyuan panted heavily, but no matter how angry he was, he had to swallow his frustration for now.
To break free from the ghost's entanglement, he had expended all his spiritual power while injured. At this point, his dantian was like a dry well and needed immediate recovery.
If he delayed, it could damage his foundation, rendering his spiritual power irrecoverable.
Meanwhile, Kudeng didn't waste time arguing like Tianyuan. He had already started focusing on recovering, and his condition seemed much better.
Tianyuan took a deep breath and began channeling his energy to his dantian.
"No rush, Daozhangs, take your time. There's still one more ghost in this building," Lu Fei casually remarked.
His words sent a shiver through Tianyuan, who had just managed to calm his nerves.
Even Kudeng's eyebrows twitched at the statement.
Once they began restoring their dantians, they couldn't stop midway.
Moreover, given their current physical state—spiritual power depleted and yang fire dimmed—they were weaker than ordinary people. Encountering a ghost now would be like a mouse meeting a cat, with only one possible outcome.
At this moment, they could only rely on Lu Fei.
The two exchanged a nervous glance.
Although Lu Fei's earlier actions seemed opportunistic, he did save them in the end. Surely, he wouldn't just...
"A mere vengeful spirit is nothing for seasoned experts like you. I'm sure you don't need my help. Good luck! I'll wait for your triumphant return."
With that, Lu Fei waved his hand and turned to leave.
The two were dumbstruck.
Kudeng shot Tianyuan a reproachful look.
If it weren't for Tianyuan's hostile attitude, Lu Fei wouldn't have abandoned them.
Tianyuan was at a loss for words, his heart seething with anger and frustration.
That Lu kid clearly had the strength and knew about the ghost's situation, yet he deliberately withheld information. Wasn't this outright sabotage?
Now, they could only hope that the ghost wouldn't appear until after they had recovered.
The dilapidated dormitory was dimly lit by a single flashlight, casting an eerie and oppressive atmosphere.
It felt like something was lurking in the shadows, just beyond the flashlight's reach.
Both men worked frantically to restore their dantians, terrified that the long-haired ghost might suddenly strike.
The entire dormitory building was eerily silent.
Outside.
Sitting cross-legged among the formation flags, Duan Tiankui and his granddaughter occasionally glanced at the dormitory building.
There was no sound from inside, as if the four people had been swallowed by the darkness. If not for the faint glow of a window, they might have assumed the worst.
"Grandpa, is the ghost inside really fierce? Will they come back safely?" Duan Lingyue asked, her big, lively eyes filled with worry as she stared at the ominous ghost building.
"With Master Kudeng and Daozhang Tianyuan there, there shouldn't be any major issues. We just need to watch over the formation and wait patiently," Duan Tiankui replied confidently.
"What about Brother Lu Fei?" Duan Lingyue blinked.
"I heard he's already dealt with a few cursed objects, but he's still new to this world and lacks experience," Duan Tiankui mused. "However, Principal Qin has asked the two masters to look after him. As long as he doesn't act recklessly, he should be fine."
"That's good."
Lu Fei had once shared snacks with her, and she didn't want anything bad to happen to him.
Inside the building.
Lu Fei and Tiger hadn't gone far. They were hiding just outside dorm room 404.
"Boss, are we going to save them or not?" Tiger asked, clearly confused.
"Who said anything about saving them? They're the perfect bait," Lu Fei said with a slight smile.
With ghost-suppressing sigils protecting both himself and Tiger, and the other two in a state of extreme vulnerability, if you were the long-haired ghost, who would you target?
"Bait?" Tiger blinked, as if realizing something. He instinctively touched his back. "Boss, you're not using me as bait, are you?"
"What are you thinking? Am I that kind of person?" Lu Fei replied, feigning indignation.
"That's true. You treat me so well; of course not," Tiger said, laughing and nodding without a hint of suspicion.
Time ticked by.
The night grew darker.
The dormitory remained eerily silent.
Hidden in the shadows, Lu Fei and Tiger stayed alert, watching the two men inside without blinking.
For some reason, the longer they stayed in the building, the colder it felt.
The chill seemed to seep into their very bones.
Tiger occasionally rubbed his arms for warmth.
This time, it seemed they had been waiting longer than expected. Nearly an hour had passed, yet the long-haired ghost had not appeared.
Could it be that the last long-haired ghost had seen through their plan?
No, if the ghost had such intelligence, it wouldn't have fallen for the earlier trap.
Then, Lu Fei noticed a thin layer of fog rising outside the window.
Fog at night wasn't particularly unusual.
He squinted but didn't dwell on it, refocusing on the two men inside the dormitory.
Both of them had their eyes shut tightly, their pale faces glistening with cold sweat under the dim light. They seemed to have reached a critical juncture.
At that moment, a thin black shadow flickered above their heads.
"It's here."
Lu Fei's grip on his thunderstruck jujube stick tightened as his eyes sharpened.
Tiger immediately went on high alert.
The thin black shadow darted past, disappearing for a few seconds before reappearing.
It was a strand of hair, no thicker than a sewing needle.
The flashlight's beam was directed at the two men, making it barely visible otherwise.
The long-haired ghost crept toward Tianyuan, lowering itself toward his head.